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Called By God: The Need to OBEY! (Sermon Audio)
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Called By God: The Need to OBEY! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the July 16, 2023 sermon, “Called By God: The Need to Obey”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Amos 7

“But Samuel replied:  ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.’”
1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)

Today I continued a sermon series which is based from the Old Testament book of Amos.  If you’re wondering how applicable the message from this book of the Bible can be today, consider the following description of the world in the days of Amos.  See if this sounds familiar at all to the world we currently live in.

“A spirit of self-sufficiency and smug complacency thrived on material prosperity.  The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer.  Idolatry, hypocrisy, moral corruption, and social injustices were everywhere.  The nation was truly on the brink of disaster.”  (Irving Jensen)

God’s desire for each one of us is that we would grow in relationship with Him.  As God calls us to not only accept Him but to grow in this relationship, our response is often put to the test.  God’s plan for us has always been to use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.  That only happens when we understand the need to . . .

  • Observe: (Amos 7:1, 4, & 7)

    • When called by God, Amos learned to observe the things that God intended for him to see.  We also have been called by God and He expects us to pay attention and observe His nature and His work as we spend time in His Word and in prayer.  Being able to gaze into scripture and notice the laws and instructions of God ought to put us into a position of listening.  Because we are called by God, we must understand the need to observe all that He has commanded.

  • Believe: — (Amos 7:2 & 5)

    • Observing the nature and character of God is one thing, but the true test comes in what we choose to do about what God has revealed.  When Amos observed the judgement that God revealed was to come upon Israel, he cried out to God for mercy because he believed God would do what He said.  Observing the truth of God’s Word and the promise of the return of Jesus ought to compel us to have great concern for ourselves and for everyone around us.  Sometimes we fail to be all that concerned for others because we may be harboring doubt about what God has shown us in His Word.  Because we are called by God, we must believe in a way that compels us to action.

  • Examine: — (Amos 7:8)

    • Observing and believing are great places to start, but it is not enough to just do anything that comes to mind.  As God set forth a plumb line for Amos to observe, He was calling Amos to examine the standard by which God calls people to Himself.  Our enemy is a master at deception and does everything he can to distort God’ Word in order to confuse our actions.  We must be careful to use the straight edge of the Word of God as the standard by which we live and act.  Because we are called by God, we must consistently examine what is before us so that our response to God and to those around us would always be right.

  • Yield: — (Amos 7:14-16)

    • As Christians we tend to accept the need to observe, believe, and examine.  The difficulty often comes when we attempt to put those elements into action and are required to fully yield to God.  God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things because that is really all that any of us are.  Amos was an ordinary farmer who was called by God to deliver an unwanted message and even when the message and messenger was rejected, Amos yielded to God as he continue to do the work God had called him to.  Because we are called by God, we must learn to continually grow in the ways we yield to God in all things.

Today, how will you OBEY?

Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With Understanding! (7/14/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With Understanding! (7/14/23)

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This is the audio from the July 14, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on our need to guard our heart!  The Bible makes it clear that our actions are a reflection of our heart, so it becomes vital that we pay attention to what our heart contains.  Jesus taught that the command to not commit adultery was more about a heart problem than it was a physical problem.  God’s desire is that we would learn to guard our heart and mind from the temptations that want to take root and destroy us.  It is much easier to blame someone else when we give in to temptation than admit we have failed to guard our heart in Christ Jesus.

“Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.”
Psalm 119:34 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only guard your heart and mind, but that you would not be a stumbling block in another person’s efforts to guard their heart.  Pray that  you would have an understanding of God’s laws and their purpose in protecting you from sin.  Pray that an understanding of consequences would protect your heart from wrongful pursuits.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With Trust! (7/13/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With Trust! (7/13/23)

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This is the audio from the July 13, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on our need to guard our heart!  The Bible makes it clear that our actions are a reflection of our heart, so it becomes vital that we pay attention to what our heart contains.  Jesus taught that the command to not commit adultery was more about a heart problem than it was a physical problem.  God’s desire is that we would learn to guard our heart and mind from the temptations that want to take root and destroy us.  It is much easier to blame someone else when we give in to temptation than admit we have failed to guard our heart in Christ Jesus.

“He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.”
Psalm 112:7 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only guard your heart and mind, but that you would not be a stumbling block in another person’s efforts to guard their heart.  Pray that  you would learn to trust God completely even in the midst of bad news.  Pray that your trust of God would protect your heart from pursuing wrong actions.  Pray that your heart would not fail as you grow through the troubles of life.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With a Steadfast Spirit! (7/12/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With a Steadfast Spirit! (7/12/23)

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This is the audio from the July 12, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on our need to guard our heart!  The Bible makes it clear that our actions are a reflection of our heart, so it becomes vital that we pay attention to what our heart contains.  Jesus taught that the command to not commit adultery was more about a heart problem than it was a physical problem.  God’s desire is that we would learn to guard our heart and mind from the temptations that want to take root and destroy us.  It is much easier to blame someone else when we give in to temptation than admit we have failed to guard our heart in Christ Jesus.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only guard your heart and mind, but that you would not be a stumbling block in another person’s efforts to guard their heart.  Pray that you would not become weary in doing good but that God would put a steadfast spirit within you.  Pray that your heart would be protected by an unrelenting commitment to pursue God.  Pray that you would grow in purity through the steadfast nature of God’s Spirit.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With God’s Counsel! (7/11/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With God’s Counsel! (7/11/23)

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This is the audio from the July 11, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on our need to guard our heart!  The Bible makes it clear that our actions are a reflection of our heart, so it becomes vital that we pay attention to what our heart contains.  Jesus taught that the command to not commit adultery was more about a heart problem than it was a physical problem.  God’s desire is that we would learn to guard our heart and mind from the temptations that want to take root and destroy us.  It is much easier to blame someone else when we give in to temptation than admit we have failed to guard our heart in Christ Jesus.

“I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.”
Psalm 16:7 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only guard your heart and mind, but that you would not be a stumbling block in another person’s efforts to guard their heart.  Pray that you would always heed the instructions of the Lord’s counsel.  Pray that your heart would be protected at all times by the counsel of God’s Word.  Pray that you would know God’s Spirit as the counselor who fills your heart with godly instruction.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With Truth! (7/10/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Guarded With Truth! (7/10/23)

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This is the audio from the July 10, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on our need to guard our heart!  The Bible makes it clear that our actions are a reflection of our heart, so it becomes vital that we pay attention to what our heart contains.  Jesus taught that the command to not commit adultery was more about a heart problem than it was a physical problem.  God’s desire is that we would learn to guard our heart and mind from the temptations that want to take root and destroy us.  It is much easier to blame someone else when we give in to temptation than admit we have failed to guard our heart in Christ Jesus.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only guard your heart and mind, but that you would not be a stumbling block in another person’s efforts to guard their heart.  Pray that you would notice all the ways the things you allow into your life influence what you do.  Pray that your heart would always be protected by God’s Spirit within you.

“He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.”
Psalm 15:2 (NIV)

Pray that you would have a heart guarded by words of truth.  Pray that you would both seek truth and speak truth at all times.  Pray that the truth of God’s Word would fill you in such a way that it stands guard over what comes out through your words.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Called By God: A Matter of the HEART! (Sermon Audio)
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Called By God: A Matter of the HEART! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the July 9, 2023 sermon, “Called By God: A Matter of the Heart”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Amos 6

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Today I continued a sermon series which is based from the Old Testament book of Amos.  If you’re wondering how applicable the message from this book of the Bible can be today, consider the following description of the world in the days of Amos.  See if this sounds familiar at all to the world we currently live in.

“A spirit of self-sufficiency and smug complacency thrived on material prosperity.  The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer.  Idolatry, hypocrisy, moral corruption, and social injustices were everywhere.  The nation was truly on the brink of disaster.”  (Irving Jensen)

As God speaks to His people through the prophet Amos, He makes it clear that simply going through the motions or being born into the right family is not enough to be right with God.  As God looked at the people of Israel and Judah, and as He looks at us, it is the condition of our heart that is most noticeable.  The difference between a heart that will fall and a heart that is full can be seen in the single letter that is different between fall and full.  A heart that will fall is a heart with arrogance at its core.  The heart that is full is one with understanding being its central feature.  God sees through all of our facades and pretenses and looks directly into the heart of the matter — our  . . .

  • Head: (Colossians 3:2)

    • While it may seem strange to talk about the head being involved in a matter of the heart, it is important to note that when the Bible talks about our heart it generally refers to the very core of who we are and why we do what we do.  Our head is definitely involved in our decision to love God with a whole heart or not.  The matter of the heart being right with God requires that we set our mind on things above so that we move from a heart of arrogance to a heart of understanding.

  • Emotions: — (Jeremiah 17:9)

    • Of all the characteristics we’ll talk about today in regard to a matter of the heart, the matter of our emotions is likely the one that most corresponds to our cultures view of heart.  We use the heart symbol to express a love that is based on feelings of good toward someone else.  While we need to be aware of our emotions and pay attention to how God uses them to guide and direct us at times, we must also recognize in this regard our heart can be deceitful and lead us into making poor decisions.  The matter of the heart being right with God requires that we put our emotions in submission to God as we move from a heart of arrogance to a heart of understanding.

  • Actions: — (Matthew 12:34-35)

    • A matter of the heart will always be reflected in our actions.  Whether it was the people of Israel and Judah in the days of Amos, the religious leaders in the days of Jesus, or you and I today, God makes it clear that what is in our heart will eventually come out to reveal who we are.  The condition of our heart is what produces our words and actions not only in our relationship with God but also in our relationships with one another.  The matter of the heart being right with God requires that we pay attention to our actions so we make the appropriate adjustments to move from a heart of arrogance to a heart of understanding.

  • Response: — (1 Peter 3:15)

    • I suspect that most of us have had times when our response to others, or even to God, has not been what it should have been.  There are a lot of factors in that, but at the core of it is an overflow of the heart at the moment in that we become defensive rather than learning.  God’s desire is that our heart would be completely filled with Him so that our response to others is one filled with gentleness and respect.  The matter of the heart being right with God requires that we pay attention to how we respond so that we can make the adjustments necessary to move from a heart of arrogance to a heart of understanding.

  • Time: — (2 Corinthians 6:2)

    • While we often don’t recognize it, or even feel like it is true, time is the great equalizer.  Each day that God gives us contains the same 24 hours no matter who we are or what we do.  When we’re honest with ourselves, we realize that the only time we really have is the moment that is now.  Because our responsibilities and commitments vary greatly from person to person and between stages of life, it can be easy to lose sight of what is really important when it comes to time.  The time to be right with God is always right now.  The matter of the heart being right with God requires that we examine this very moment of time so that today we move from a heart of arrogance to a heart of understanding.

Today, what will you do with your HEART?

Encouragement and Prayer: Return With Love and Justice! (7/7/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Return With Love and Justice! (7/7/23)

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This is the audio from the July 7, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Seek good, not evil, that you may live.
Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.”
Amos 5:14 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on God’s desire that we, and those around us, would return to Him whenever we stray.  One of the greatest promises of God is that there is always a way home from wherever we are.

“But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.”
Hosea 12:6 (NIV)

As you pray this week, consider if there are areas of your life in which you need to return to God.  Pray that love and justice would always be at the core of your relationship with God.  Pray that the people around you would return to God to find true love and justice.  Pray that you would not give up on yourself, others, or God as you maintain love and justice.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom